This is not your typical rock memoir, folks! 😴 Chuck Billy’s unflinching memoir, “Holding My Breath: The Two Testaments Of Chuck Billy”, is like a punch in the face – it’s raw, it’s real, and it’s coming for you on November 10, 2026, via Permuted Press! 📚 The book is structured as two interlocking testaments (yeah, it’s like a metal concept album, but better! 🤘), tracing the full arc of a life lived at maximum volume – from the explosive birth of Bay Area thrash metal to the fight to stay alive. The Old Testament is all about the formation of Testament, the rivalries, the brotherhood, and the reckless, glorious chaos of becoming one of the genre’s most powerful voices. 🤟
But then, cancer tried to silence him for good. 🤕 The New Testament is something rarer and more raw – a frontman at 38, blindsided by a devastating cancer diagnosis, drawing on his Native American and Mexican-American heritage, spiritual healers, visions, and the fierce love of a metal community. 🙏 It’s like, the ultimate tale of survival, music, and the unbreakable bonds that define a life in metal! 🤘 At the center of that community: the legendary 2001 “Thrash Of The Titans” benefit concert – one of the most galvanizing moments in heavy metal history – which rallied old rivals into brothers and helped ignite a genre revival while keeping Chuck Billy in the fight. 🎸
“This book is about two versions of me that are really just one story,” says Billy. “The guy who thought he was invincible, and the guy who learned how fragile life really is.” 🤔 Co-written with Dave Erickson, “Holding My Breath” delivers the unfiltered insider story of thrash metal’s rise alongside a deeply human account of mortality, miraculous recovery, cultural identity, and chosen family. It is, equally, a gift to lifelong Testament fans and to anyone who has ever faced the unthinkable – and refused to let go. 🙌
Anthony Ziccardi, publisher of Permuted Press, says: “Chuck Billy is a major influential voice in the thrash metal scene. Permuted Press is thrilled to be publishing his remarkable personal journey.” 📚 And, guess what? The book features a foreword by Rob Halford (Judas Priest) and an afterword by Randy Blythe (Lamb of God) – two of metal’s most revered voices bearing witness to Chuck Billy‘s enduring legacy! 🤩
Billy is the powerhouse lead singer of Testament, one of thrash-metal’s original Bay Area legends since the 1980s. He beat cancer in 2001 and came back stronger, weaving his Native American (Pomo) roots into his life and lyrics. 🌟 He has been honored with a California State Assembly recognition for his positive influence on Native communities, was part of The Smithsonian’s National Museum Of The American Indian’s exhibition, “Up Where We Belong: Native Musicians In Popular Culture”, and won “Best Music Video” at the American Indian Film Festival for “Native Blood”. 🏆
From the relentless stages of Bay Area thrash metal to the brink of death and back, “Holding My Breath” is the unflinching memoir of Testament‘s iconic frontman. 🤯 Raised in a resilient Native American and Mexican-American family, Chuck Billy forged his path through rebellion, raw talent, and unbreakable stubbornness – becoming the powerful voice behind one of thrash’s most enduring bands. 🤘
But at 38, a devastating cancer diagnosis threatened to silence him forever. 🤕 With the fierce support of the metal community – including the legendary “Thrash Of The Titans” benefit that rallied old rivals and reignited brotherhood – Chuck faced grueling treatments, profound spiritual journeys, and the fight of his life. 🤺
This is the story of a man who discovered that true strength comes not just from holding your breath until the world bends – but from learning to breathe again. Stronger. Wiser. Surrounded by family, both blood and chosen. 🌟 A raw testament to survival, music, and the unbreakable bonds that define a life in metal. 🤘
For more information, and to pre-order, visit chuckbillybook.com. 📚 And, don’t forget to check out the picture of Chuck Billy holding his book – it’s like, the ultimate metal selfie! 🤣
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
